Island



(No Model.)

H. A. CHURCH.

, BUTTON FASTENER. No. 353,921. Patented Dec. '7, 1886.

.Fi .1 Firm. 2.

WITNEEEIE: INK/INTER.- g; I 9% /M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. CHURCH, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

BUTTON-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,921, dated December 7, 1886.

7 Application filed September 9, 1886. Serial No. 213,052. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY A. CHURCH, of the city and county of Providence, State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Fasteners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a button-fastener or device for securing and holding a buttonv in operative position when mounted on a garment or any material.

The objects of my invention are to provide a button-fastener of simple construction, that may be formed of wire and can be easily set in position, and will afford a neat device that will not be cumbersome,and that will not mark or annoy the wearer.

To the above purposes my invention consists in a button-fastener formed from a wire bent upon itself into a spring retaining-loop and a holding base or frame, all constructed and arranged as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents an under side view of my novel button-fastener having a button fixed therein. Fig. 2 represents a side view of my fastener combined with a button, which is mounted on a piece of leather or fabric, shown in section.

' Fig. 3 represents a side View of Fig. 2, taken at right angles thereto. Fig. 4 represents a plan view of aslightly-varied form of my fastener from what is shown in the other views.

In the said drawings like numbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

Referring to the drawings, my button-fastening device 7 is shown as constructed from a piece of wire or metallic rod, which may possess the desired degree of resiliency to cause the retaining-loop 8 of the device to act with a snap in seating or unseating a button.

The fastener 7 is formed from a straight wire by doubling the same and pressing the two strands together so that they lie side by side and near to each other for about one-half or one-third the length of the doubled wire,-

lie close together in the same plane, constitutes the retainingloop 8, which is constructed with a bowed or arched hearing by forming an arch, as 9, in each of the said strands, transversely thereof and side by side. The portions of wire toward the free ends are bent at the points 10 back upon the retaining-loop 8, and the extreme ends of the wire are formed into the inward coils or bends 11, as in Fig. 1, or the outward coils 11, as in Fig. 4..

The several strands of the completed structure 7 lie in about the same plane, and, together with the coils 11, compose the holding frame or base of the fastener necessary to retain the device inoperative position, and, furthen, to act as a fulcrum-plate and give stability in forcing the retaining-loop out of normal position when a button is placed in or removed from the fastener.

The wire from which the device is to be constructed will be preferably a resilient wire,

in order that the retaining-loop may always lie in its normal position in the plane of the holding frame or base.

From the description above given of the device it will be readily understood how to mount a button, as 15, on a piece of leather or any desired object. The leather 14 (shown in Figs. 2 and 3) is perforated at the point where it is desired to set the button 15, the eyed shank of which is pushed through the perforation. The fastener 7 is presented to the eye of the shank with the convex surface of the arched bearing of the loop 8 toward the button. The retaining-loop is forcibly raised out of the plane of the frame of the fastener against its own resiliency, and the loop is passed through the eye of the button-shank until it is seated in the concavity of the arched bearing, when the loop snaps itself into normal position, and thereby securely retains the button in its seat.

I have shown the wire composing the fastener as flattened slightly on two opposite faces, thereby affording a better resting-surface for the device against the material it may be used with.

The free ends of the wire are by my construction well concealed, and are located so as to in no wise mark or scratch the wearer or become entangled in foreign objects.

If desired, the coiled ends 11 may be used as securing-eyes for sewing the fastener upon a fabric in an obvious manner.

My described device forms a very efficient article that will securely hold abutton in place,

5 and the fastener can be cheaply and easily.

manufactured.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A button-fastener formed of wire bent 1o into an approximate M form, having the strands thereof lying substantially in the same plane, the central strands of the M form set near together and formed with a transverse arch near the center of length thereof, and con- 7 I 5 stituting the retaining-loop, the outer strands of the .M form bent at their free ends into coils disposed near the closed end of the loop, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

2. The button-fastener 7, formed of wire bent into the retaining-loop 8, having the 20 arched bearing 9, the bends 10, and the coils 11 at the free ends of the wire, all constructed substantially as and for the purpose described.

In witness vwhereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY A. OH URCH.

Witnesses:

J. A. MILLER, J r., WILLIs FOWLER. 

